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X.R.

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Everything posted by X.R.

  1. X.R.
    I've thought about gentrification in that area, but I also want to keep this short, so DM if you wanna talk about the area. The spirit of the people who live there should be celebrated: you got newly immigrated people and their kids, mom and dad working multiple jobs to provide a better life than they had all the while instilling a love for family and their heritage. Gulfgate/Hobby/South Houston is my favorite part of Houston, I love it, I grew up there, and to me its what Houston is all about. But the area is transient. The group of people who live there now aren't the same group of people from five years ago even. As soon as the parents make more money, or in my case the kids started to help out, you move out. We aren't the wards that have 50+ years of the same families living there. So whats there to gentrify? And if you're a homeowner in that area, you finally will have access to something you never thought you would/part of the American dream: property that appreciates, and maybe can be sold so you can move to a better neighborhood. The schools objectively are terribad, sometimes you'll wake up to your car on cinderblocks or the car is just gone, and you shouldn't be in the parks after 7pm-ish. Most people who live there know it and will move to Pasadena, Pearland, Clear Lake, etc at first chance. I've realized I can love the area and still understand it has deep issues. I think public transit would help so much with saving money, and finally, finally open that area up to the rest of Houston who I feel largely sees it as just the area they have to drive through to get to Hobby. And what will immigrants do with more white neighbors? What we always do, which is work, survive, and do the best for the families.
  2. X.R.
    Reminds me of the Co-ops in North and East Austin. Its a pretty unique, industrial look. Plus, it looks like they will be growing their own herbs? Then maybe the design is functional too.
  3. X.R.
    Based on everything they've said so far, and the comment on In the Loop about a single story grocery store with a large parking lot not being an efficient use of land I think we can guess that cars are in fact the last thing on their mind. The type of people they are hoping to attract to this spot, potentially from out of the state, most likely don't own cars, so I'm sure the Endowment wants to keep that mindset prevalent during development. Maybe by groundbreaking they mean they will finally start making the changes to the building to transition it from being the Sears building to the Ion. It felt like most of the work has been gutting the building, knocking bricks out, etc; so mostly prep work.
  4. X.R.
    I'm not...kidding? If they ran it down telephone road to get to hobby, that would be great. Theres a ton of business popping up over there (mostly asian/mexican food and coffee), and the street is pretty wide so it could make room for el tren. And the Uptown BRT did take six years, which makes me sad. Hopefully, the expansion could go faster since they don't have to deal with the multiple lawsuits, applications for injunctions, and demand letters that Uptown had to beat along the way. I think (?) there is still an open lawsuit for the money a few of those businesses supposedly lost.
  5. X.R.
    I agree, thats fine. But come post-ballot, when it succeeds (because it hopefully will), they better have a plan ready to go. I don't want to see any of these "maybe this route, maybe that route, let's do 30 open to the community meetings." Coming Q4 2025: Hobby Airport Rail! Sorry, that article and the wishy-washyness of the officials left a bad taste in my mouth. I've driven by Uptown's development almost everyday for years. I understand a different authority did this, but if Uptown BRT can go up as quickly as it has, and shutdown as massively important a street the way that it has, then MTA has no excuse for being wary about shutting down random parts of broadway or telephone road or monroe or whichever street. As someone who has lived near gulfgate/hobby for significant portions of their life, I can say with 1000% certainty that Rail would transform that area, and people would absolutely use that train. Many of those immigrants can't afford cars, or their cars are shitty, and this would be perfect to take them to and from Gulfgate depending on the route chosen, maybe drop them close to the airport so they can do shopping in South Houston. People will find a way to make public transit work.
  6. X.R.
    I don't even understand how it can be legal to ask for millions of dollars/funding without giving at least two or three projects that will get done with the half the money asked for. It just sounds like the MTA Officials have to fight off people coming at them from every angle, and are taking the path of least resistance out.
  7. X.R.
    I'm going to guess they will present at the museum district neighborhood meeting too, since basically all the development in the area puts on a presentation for them at least for meet and greet purposes. Its crazy that the area by Bodega's isn't filled (theres a pizza place coming), yet they are building retail here (and it will probably thrive). Whats wrong with the office building owners over by Bodega's? I'm hoping this retail is something like actual retail/health oriented business (yoga or something). It would do well there, its so close to the park and the neighborhood and the apartments next to it are filled with people from the med center. Heck, Boone's bicycle did well for 50 years.
  8. X.R.
    I am pleasantly surprised. The vibe for both the restaurant and the lobby bar is...60's chic? That a good description? The patterns, the lighting...it will definitely become a destination place for people visiting downtown. A thought: when I got to other denser cities, I am very used to going into hotel/office building's bars to enjoy myself. Only recently have I started to do the same in Houston (the Post Oak's bar is great, and has great specials). To be honest, this is awesome, and I hope Houstonians take advantage.
  9. X.R.
    Oh snap! That’s a massive sale at Boone’s. Need to head over there to see if I can snag a cheap bike. And...ahem...check it out for HAIF purposes.
  10. X.R.
    A few things as someone who sorta - recently moved into the area: 1) The two realtors I worked with, when I finally chose museum district, was like "hey, this is a largely established neighborhood, very stable, quiet and the residents LIKE it like that, so...just be aware." For context, I was looking at midtown/east downtown/downtown too. And they were not wrong. I think in part the lack of "energy" is that this area is very, very residential, without many coffee shops or bars, but we do have TURKEY LEG HUT! There are a loooot of townhouses here. Some older homes on bigger plots, but they are either going, or gone, it feels like (I mean, just look at this, the Boone's have been there since the 50s). And those made way for the condos and apartments. The next step of development has to be away from the museums and more toward Midtown along San Jacinto, and propping up Almeda. Basically, Blodgett and north of it. 2) Bobruss is right, that entire list of stuff he put up has gone up in the last 5 years, and they are in the middle of adding more "affordable" condos down the street from the 10 story condos he mentioned. To that end, I've spoken to friends in residential/commercial real estate and they lament how long they've been trying to buy tracks of land in the area. It seems to be hard to come by, as the people who own them tend to lease in this area for some reason/want to keep the land within their family. Hell, it was hard to buy a house because so many people preferred to lease versus sell the damn thing to me. 3) The museum district super neighborhood group are very nice people, but they like the quiet. They are hyped about the capping of 59. They are hyped about the bike lane on Austin. They are not super hyped about Turkery Leg Hut (but still support it), but they are very hyped about Barnaby's/Fadis/Dak and Bop. I think a little of the lack of "vibrancy" is purposeful. Finally, if you're on the streets of the MD at 7:30 - 8, there are dog walkers, joggers, bikers, people heading to Hermann park, Lucilles and MF Sushi, people walking to the Asian Society Center and the Glassel, and students going back to Rice. I think tho, I agree in part with Luminare. Theres so much activity, its just needs...a bit more. Something else. My older neighbors seem to think what it lacks is retail/restraurants with outdoor seating and patios. They've been wanting it for 10 years. So maybe thats it.
  11. X.R.
    I was gonna say something similar after Urbannizer posted that image. That part of MD is very Montrose: townhouses, a giant apartment/condo place, the school, traditional houses, and old places that serve as apartments, and those old school retail places. When the former Chelsea market gets its shit together, its gonna be, as the kids say, 100.
  12. X.R.
    Apologies, the place just seems huge, especially for someone who’s elementary school in South Houston was basically a string of outdoor T-building. That’s pretty cool that it’s for Pk3-5th grade. Those kids will have a special, and very pretty place to learn. Pretty huge addition to the area, as the million dollar condos near the southmore are done, and the condos down the street are progressing very quickly, and those people’s kids will need somewhere to go.
  13. X.R.
    I see this building a lot. Its quite random for the area. Is Origin Bank a successful bank? I don't really understand why this was built, lol. Its a nice building though.
  14. X.R.
    This place is huuuuge. Went by there on Saturday, and basically takes up half that block. Whats crazy is that their website says this big building is only for Pk3, Pk4, and Kindergarten. It might also be for k-5 too, but doesn't seem clear because of how they named it. With that size, I feel like they are going after all the kids of the people who are in Museum District/East Downtown/Third Ward. Which makes me a little sad, because we should be supporting our public elementary schools. The elementary school is Macgreggor Elementary. Basically this ^. Its a pretty building. Wish they would add a little color to it because it IS a children's school. I like the vibe they are creating with those string of buildings.
  15. X.R.
    I agree with Luminare, you can be skeptical about this project. But I think you would need to temper that skepticism with this thought: Rice and its endowment wouldn't pour 100 million down the drain. They are jumping at the chance to be the first ones to really take control of Houston's tech scene. If you go to their campus, and just walk around, you realize they sit right next to parts of TMC, which I know allowed my friends, who were rice students, direct access to these medical institutions/research facilities for opportunities like summer jobs/internships, and potentially employment/residency after they graduated from Rice. Rice is now seemingly doing the same thing with Houston's tech scene. They get to control the two blocks around the burgeoning tech scene at their ion? Imagine the opportunities for their students. Its a calculated risk. At worst, it becomes a glorified WeWorks for Tech companies. Which is still waaaaay better than anything else Houston has right now. The writer of that article, as Luminare points out, thinks this should be in Montrose or Uptown. She believes the "build it and they will come" mantra is invalid because that area of Midtown is not dense enough. The writer, and the people interviewed keep pointing out that the Ion is next to a jack in the box, in an attempt to say that there aren't viable dining options or a gym or bars around it. Yes, there is a jack in the box. But two blocks down there will be a Whole Foods (coming Q1 2020!). And one train stop down you have: 5 bars, a great sushi place with a conveyor belt (4+ stars on yelp!), an actually pretty traditional chinese restuarant, and a vietnamese restaurant. Then if you walk a block or two past that the vietnamese place you hit 24 hour fitness, and that whole block of places like Jinya Ramen, and Piola Pizza. The Ion has the things the writer believes should be around it, but she fails to give Midtown, and the Ion, a chance. I hope Pt. II of that article is the argument for it succeeding!
  16. X.R.
    Theres a banner up saying "award winning sushi restuarant and bar" is moving in, and they also put up a sign some kind of fitness looking place is moving in. Have they already said what places are going to be on the ground floor?
  17. X.R.
    Seems like they were putting the finishing touches on stuff today. The parking lot has the lines drawn already and they were going around removing some of the construction equipment. Some of the workers were putting up the open hours signage at the front door. Looks like they are going to be ready to be open starting Saturday morning. I had my doubts about the look of the museum, but it really came together very nicely. The slope is quite dramatic in person, and the outdoor seating area looks great.
  18. X.R.
    I never realized those were basically telephone poles. Mind. Blown. Lights are coming on downstairs in the building, but I don't know if they are gonna make their July deadline. If they somehow do it, is there a HAIF star for non-delayed projects that can be given to them? 😂
  19. X.R.
    Its smart by WF to hold of a bit, until the Pearl and the other two projects in midtown get closer to completion and gaining leasees. A robust and already established customer-base right there. But it kind of sucks for everyone else, including the Pearl since the big selling point (to me) is that you can do your grocery shopping where you live.
  20. X.R.
    ^ That first photo is a HAIF wet dream: the destruction of a parking garage to build a 46 floor tower in the background, a 47 floor development going up in the foreground. Great shot.
  21. X.R.
    Most of that stuff in the corner is just the incredible amount of shit they have dragged out from the inside. As Luminaire said, its a tiny demo that they are doing on the backside near the bay. In the mornings for the past week they've closed Wheeler down to one lane to accommodate whatever it is they are doing: moving the junk to the trash, demoing part of the back area walls, or loading stuff into the building through the demo'd walls. Seems like they are working on wiring or something cause there are men and women standing on ladders on the second floor looking into the (now) uncovered ceiling. Also, the comments in that reddit thread are gold.
  22. X.R.
    Yeah, was just thinking that the other day. If you count all the apartments by Hermann Park, and then just keep going North, its becoming pretty dense, what with the Southmore and the new million dollar Condos that are right next to it. Wish more food/drinks stuff would open. Thaaaaat said, we gotta support the jewel that is Lucille's. And Java Lava Brew cause theres nothing quite like it in the neighborhood as of now.
  23. X.R.
    They are flying. Biked by there last Saturday, and they were mixing concrete and putting up those beams (is that for support?). The guy outside saw me biking around and he was like, you dont know how many people walk by here just to look/figure out when its opening. Weird to be excited about a grocery store, buuuut I am. And the cool thing is that Macgregor in its current form can probably handle all the traffic to come with its three lanes, and its not typically busy.
  24. X.R.
    Five towers? Who even has enough money to build five towers/buildings? This guy has more faith in Midtown than probably half the people on this forum. If this even gets to a completed phase II, and lets say he forgoes the last two buildings, this is still a massively transformative project for that space. And they are close to the "innovation district" so lets say some techie wants to stay at a hotel close by, its going to be his hotel. They want to go to retail? Its probably his shops. I'm excited, don't take me wrong, but I almost can't believe that they are proceeding with Phase II with as much gusto as that article states. Its almost like Midtown won some kind of lottery.
  25. X.R.
    I bike by there alot and I agree, this only sorta serves 3rd ward, and its going to moreso serve TMC and Museum District. I've heard from various development people that this was the closest HEB would come to putting it near 3rd ward, but the city was happy cause it had recognized that this was sort of a food desert (shoutout to that Fiesta). I agree that a large parking lot would do this no service. Its almost like they don't know the area. The people on MacGregor already walk alot and you see quite a bit of foot traffic to the local corner store down the street. The easiest way to get to this (if you live within 2 miles or so of the HEB) is in my opinion by bike. The bayou trails literally drop you at the back entrance, lol, which would mean people from UH, Macgregor, Museum District, TMC, and Hermann Park area have a direct foot/bike path to the HEB. I dont think this will be a "will it do well" type thing, it'll be "will they be able to handle the massive inflow of people" and can they adapt to having so much foot traffic entering and leaving the property all the time. Honestly think its going to be quite bananas. maybe the parking lot is for: “"We're working with METRO to make sure bus routes can get here. And as for the employees, we are so excited that the ones who want to come through the interview process will be able to do that the jobs are there," Boykins said.”
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